Find out
Answers to questions about part-time PhD programmes.
The questions prospective students ask most frequently, answered objectively, without promises that nobody can keep.
Distinctions and Integrity
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Buying a doctoral title: what’s on offer, and what really matters. A doctoral degree cannot be bought. A clear explanation of what’s available on the market, which titles are legitimate, and which path actually leads to a ‘Dr’ title.
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PhD consultancy: What it is permitted to do and what it is not. What a PhD consultancy provides, where the line is drawn with ghostwriting, how to recognise reputable providers and what questions you should ask in advance.
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Ghostwriting and original academic work. What counts as original academic work, what support is permitted, what the consequences of ghostwriting are, and how AI tools should be classified.
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Honorary doctorate: an honour, not a degree. What an honorary doctorate is, how it is awarded, how it may be listed, what rules apply to its inclusion on your ID, and how to spot offers where it can be purchased.
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The quickest way to a doctorate: the honest answer. Why there is no such thing as the quickest or easiest way to a doctorate, what actually determines the duration, what can legitimately be shortened, and what you should not buy.
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Doctorate without a degree: what is actually possible. Whether a doctorate can be obtained without a university degree, which route is open to those with professional qualifications, and which offers you should avoid.
Procedures and Craft
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The dissertation proposal: structure, scope, common mistakes. How a dissertation proposal is structured: eight components, realistic scope, timetable and the five mistakes that cause proposals to fail.
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The abstract for a legal dissertation. How a legal abstract is structured: problem statement, research question, state of case law and literature, outline, timetable and common mistakes.
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The research proposal in medicine and health sciences. How a medical or health sciences research proposal is structured: research question, study design, sample size, ethics approval, data protection and timetable.
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The research proposal in economics. How to structure an economics research proposal: research gap, theoretical framework, hypotheses, data basis, methodology and timetable.
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A timetable that still works in the third year. What a realistic timetable for a part-time PhD looks like: phases with deliverables, buffers, dealing with delays and quarterly reviews.
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The defence: procedure and preparation. How a defence proceeds, what the examination board looks for, how to structure your presentation, what questions to expect and how to prepare.
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The doctoral regulations: the document that really matters. Which provisions in the doctoral regulations are crucial, what you should look out for when reading them, and which points can prove costly if overlooked.
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Why PhDs fail. The most common reasons for abandoning a PhD, the warning signs, what helps at each stage, and when abandoning the programme is the right decision.
Pursuing a PhD whilst working
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Pursuing a PhD whilst working: how it actually works. How a PhD works alongside a job: the three main approaches, what universities require, how long it takes, what it costs and why projects fail.
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Pursuing a PhD as a part-time commitment: What it means in everyday life. How a PhD fits into a full working week: time commitment, weekly routine, arrangements with your employer, funding and common pitfalls.
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External PhD: What it means and how it works. What defines an external PhD, how acceptance and supervision are arranged, how it differs from an internal PhD, and what makes an external PhD more challenging.
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How long does a PhD really take? What the duration of a PhD depends on, how much time each phase takes, which parts are beyond your control, and why blanket statements can be misleading.
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A PhD in two years: what’s realistically achievable. Under what conditions a very short PhD is conceivable, which parts can legitimately be shortened, and how to spot unrealistic time commitments.
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Part-time PhD: the pros and cons explained in plain language. The arguments in favour of a part-time PhD, its drawbacks, how its typical weaknesses can be mitigated, and when a different model might be a better fit.
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The cost of a PhD. What costs are involved in a part-time PhD: tuition fees, administrative charges, literature, publication, supervision, and what is possible from a tax perspective.
Countries and recognition
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Pursuing a PhD whilst working in Germany. How PhD programmes are regulated in Germany: the right to award doctorates, doctoral regulations, external and collaborative pathways, deadlines, use of the title and entry on official documents.
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Pursuing a part-time PhD in Switzerland. How the PhD programme is organised in Switzerland, which universities award the doctoral degree, what doctoral programmes for working professionals entail, and how the degree is recognised internationally.
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Pursuing a PhD whilst working in Austria. How doctoral studies are structured in Austria: admission, dissertation agreement, curriculum, public defence and the registration of academic degrees.
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PhD or Dr.: Where the difference really lies. How a PhD differs from a Dr., when a PhD may be used as ‘Dr.’, what the subject-specific suffixes mean, and why the process is more significant than the title itself.
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anabin: How to check a higher education institution in minutes. What anabin is, what H+, H+/- and H- mean, how to check a higher education institution yourself, and when a certificate assessment by the ZAB is required.
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Using your doctoral title in your home country. How the recognition of a European doctoral degree works abroad: the relevant authorities from ENIC-NARIC to YÖK and MOHESR, criteria, documentation and deadlines.
Fields of study
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PhD in Economics, part-time. How a PhD in economics works alongside a full-time job: practical topics, theoretical framework, access to data, methodology and admission requirements.
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Dr. iur. part-time: What the subject requires. How to successfully complete a PhD in law whilst working in a law firm or legal department: choosing a topic, grade thresholds, research, supervision and time management.
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PhD in Health and Social Care. Pursuing a PhD in Nursing Science, Public Health, Health Services Research and Health Economics: study design, ethics approval, data protection and pathways to entry.
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Dr.-Ing. part-time: from project to research. How engineers can complete a PhD whilst working: topics derived from projects, experimental set-up and data, confidentiality, access and time management.
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PhD in Electrical Engineering, whilst working. Completing a PhD in Electrical Engineering whilst working: subject areas ranging from power electronics to embedded systems, operational measurement data, simulation and finding a supervisor.
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PhD in Computer Science whilst working. Completing a PhD in Computer Science whilst working: contribution and evaluation, reproducibility, publication culture, cumulative dissertation and company data.
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PhD in Psychology whilst working. Completing a PhD in Psychology whilst working: entry requirements, study design, sample, pre-registration, ethics and data protection.
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DBA or PhD: what the difference means for you. What distinguishes the DBA from a traditional doctoral degree, how it may be awarded in Germany, what to look out for when choosing a provider, and which path suits whom.
Entry and requirements
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PhD with a Bachelor’s degree: when it’s possible and when it isn’t. Whether and how a PhD can be undertaken with a Bachelor’s degree: aptitude assessment procedures, additional requirements, the role of professional experience, and what the doctoral regulations stipulate.
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A PhD with a degree from a University of Applied Sciences. How graduates of Universities of Applied Sciences can pursue a PhD: collaborative PhD programmes, requirements, supervision arrangements, time commitment and potential hurdles.
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Pursuing a PhD at 40 or 50. Whether a PhD makes sense in mid-life: age limits, the benefits of professional experience, realistic planning and what becomes more difficult later on.
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Finding a supervisor: the step where most people get stuck. How to find a supervisor for your PhD: research, initial contact, short synopsis, the interview, common mistakes and what should be sorted out after acceptance.
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Who is authorised to supervise a PhD. Which individuals are authorised to supervise a PhD, the role of co-supervisors and expert reports, what applies in the event of retirement or a change of institution, and how to change supervisors.
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Who is actually authorised to award doctoral degrees. Which higher education institutions are authorised to award doctoral degrees, how you can check this in a few minutes, and how to recognise institutions without the right to award doctoral degrees.
Benefits
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Is a PhD worth it? When a PhD pays off professionally and when it doesn’t: impact by sector, role and timing, weighing up the pros and cons, and a test for your own situation.
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Doctorate, salary and career. What can be said about the impact of a doctorate on salary and career, why figures are difficult to pin down, where the effects are greatest, and how you can check this for yourself.
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Having your doctorate entered on your ID card and passport. How a doctorate is entered on identity documents, which degrees are eligible for entry, what applies to foreign degrees, and what the process involves.
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The doctoral title for those in leadership roles. What a doctoral degree means for those in leadership roles, which topics carry weight, how the work fits into your schedule, and when it doesn’t work.
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Authority in the age of machine reading. Why verifiable authority is becoming increasingly important in search and AI systems, what actually counts in this context, and how to make your work discoverable.
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